The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced plans to attract smartphone manufacturers to establish factories in Nigeria as part of efforts to reduce the rising cost of mobile devices.
The Chairman of the NCC Governing Board, Idris Olorunnimbe, said Nigeria could soon experience a new wave of smartphone manufacturing investments if investors commit to building factories in the country.
Speaking at the Digital Africa Summit Roundtable in Shanghai, China, Olorunnimbe said local production is one of the most sustainable ways to address the challenge of expensive smartphones and expand digital access.
He pledged to engage President Bola Tinubu to secure incentives, waivers and government support for manufacturers willing to begin factory construction in Nigeria before November.
According to him, producing smartphones locally would lower device prices, create thousands of jobs, strengthen local industries and reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported phones.
He explained that reliance on imported devices exposes Nigerians to high prices caused by foreign exchange challenges and supply chain disruptions.
Olorunnimbe added that local manufacturing would help make smartphones more affordable by allowing more production costs to be paid in naira, improving access for students, young people and small business owners.
He noted that affordable smartphones are important for online education, digital banking, e-commerce, remote work and access to government services.
The NCC chairman also said local production could position Nigeria as a technology manufacturing hub in Africa, creating opportunities for engineers, technicians, suppliers and other businesses.
However, he acknowledged that previous attempts at smartphone manufacturing in Nigeria faced challenges including poor quality, weak after-sales services and low consumer confidence.
He stressed that locally made phones must compete with imported brands in both quality and price.
Olorunnimbe also highlighted Nigeria’s large mobile market, with more than 170 million mobile connections and over 150 million mobile internet users, as a major opportunity for investors.
He said the NCC is strengthening device regulation through improved approval systems and a proposed Device Management System to tackle fake, cloned and stolen phones.
He also called for wider smartphone financing schemes, saying Nigerians should have access to devices through instalment payment plans instead of paying the full cost upfront.
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